CHANDLER, AZ (June, 2014)
– The judges of the Story Monster Approved program, which recognizes
accomplished authors in the field of children's literature have spoken, and A Sandy Grave by Donna M. McDine and
illustrated by Julie Hammond has earned approval.

Title: A Sandy Grave

Category: Chapbooks for Tweens

Author: Donna M. McDine www.donnamcdine.com

Illustrator: Julie Hammond www.juliehammondart.com

Hardcover ISBN: 9781616334543; 1616334541

Softcover ISBN: 9781616334550; 161633455X

eBook ISBN: 9781616334567; 1616334568

About A Sandy
Grave: The anticipation of summer vacation can put anyone in a great mood with
the excitement of adventures to be had--especially at the beach. But what is a
group of friends to do when they discover mysterious men poaching whale teeth
at the beach?

About the Author: Donna McDine is a multiple award-winning children's
author. She writes and moms from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY.
McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Family Reading Partnership. Learn more
about McDine’s writing career at www.donnamcdine.com
and www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com.

The colorful,
kid-friendly Story Monster Approved seal attracts the attention of young
readers much more than a sticker intended for adult scrutiny. Kids know when
they see the Story Monster Approved patch it means children their own age
enjoyed the book and are recommending they read it, too. How do they know that?
Because after books pass the first round of rigorous judging – which is done by
industry experts, the books are then judged by a panel of youth judges who must
also endorse the books before they can receive the official seal of approval.

"Who better to
judge children’s books than the children who read them?” explains Linda F.
Radke, president of Five Star Publications, Inc., the same company that
launched the Dragonfly
Book Awards program, now in its fourth year. "Judging these books
gives children a wonderful sense of importance and responsibility. Some of our
judging coordinators have told us that students who usually don’t enjoy reading
or have difficulty reading have gotten a much-needed boost due to their judging
responsibilities and have requested to serve as judges again."

Authors interested in
having their books considered for Story Monster Approved designation should
visit www.StoryMonsters.com and
download an entry form. Books are divided into the following categories with
distinctions made between fiction and nonfiction: Preschool to Kindergarten,
Grades 1-3, and Grades 4-6.

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Full Media Kit, Headshot, Book Cover Art and more are available
upon request.